Controlling Funeral Costs

How to create a funeral budget?

Most people don’t know, but generally think a funeral is “expensive”. Contrary to popular belief, though, the cost of a funeral has become lower in relation to most other products and services.

Even so, if you don’t have an idea of what’s involved, funeral expenses could seem to be costly, confusing, and never-ending. If you know what to expect you will be able to understand and control those costs. There are five items to keep in mind when creating a funeral planning budget:

Professional Services: Includes such things as transportation of the deceased, embalming (if requested), completion of legal documents, burial permits, cremation, consultation, and use of funeral facilities, staff and equipment.

Merchandise: refers to material items such as caskets, urns, or guest books.

Disbursements: are fees paid on your behalf for other products and professional services involved in the funeral such as the obituary costs, honourariums, flowers or luncheons.

Committal Choice: costs that are associated with wherever the remains of the deceased are permanently placed. This includes not only a cemetery or columbarium, or in the case of cremation, scattering by land, sea, or air. Costs can vary greatly and your funeral arranger may be best able to research the options that are best for you and your family.

Memorialization: Includes the purchase of a monument or memorial plaque or some other form of memorial such as a donation.

One of the best ways to prevent over-spending is through pre-arranging. That way, you can discuss your selections and choices, consider the total cost, and keep your decisions on file with the funeral home. If you wish, you can also pre-pay those expenses at today’s prices to reduce the effects of inflation in years ahead.

To receive help and direction in developing your own personal planning budget, call Bardal Funeral Home at 843 Sherbrook Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, 204-774-7474. Or visit our website at bardal.ca and fill in our online pre-arrangement information.

Bardal has been serving families since 1894A Winnipeg Family Owned Funeral Home.
More than 124 Years of Service, Experience You Can Trust!